This Jet Provost was built in 1961 and was delivered to the RAF in May of that year. It served at RAF Cranwell through the first half of the 1960s before being bounced back and fore various training units until its flying career came to an end in 1990 and was then used as a ground instructional airframe at RAF Cosford. It was sold to Global Aviation in 1993 before being used by Brooklands College again as a ground instructional airframe. In 2014 it went on display at the Brooklands Museum.

For a more detailed look at the aircraft’s history as well as pictures of it in service visit Jetprovostfile.org

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I must admit, I do like the Mk.5. During 1971, XW322 was one of two Jet Provosts selected to be the personal aircraft of HRH Prince Charles, during his Fleet Air Arm pilot training. If I was being disingenuous, I would say that the Navy, gave HRH Prince Charles rather more help than his fellow pilot’s to achieve his wings, in order to avoid embarrassment. But of course I would never say such a thing about the Prince of Wales 😉

I think the only armed version was the BAC 167 Strikemaster is essentially an armed version of the Jet Provost T Mk 5; the Strikemaster was modified with an uprated engine, wing hardpoints, a strengthened airframe. The aircraft was armed with 2× 7.62 mm NATO machine guns with 550 rounds each, and 4 hardpoints (2 per wing) with a capacity of 3,000 lb (1,364 kg) of bombs, machine gun pods, air-to-ground rocket pods, fuel drop tanks, and napalm tanks.

Bang on the money Richard. It was quite successful in Latin America and the Middle East. I think BAC wanted to sell it to the RAF as an advanced weapon trainer but the Hunter and the Hawk filled that role